Central City Brewpub

Don’t go here!!! There was a RAT walking next to my head in one of the sofa booths!!! I reported it and no one even cared, no traps, not checking, they just said we could move and that there were rats in the building… this is a restaurant/​bar there should be no rats and selling food at the same time!!! I had to pay for my drinks and leave as soon as I could. There was a group of people sitting in the sofas next to us and where the rat was roaming and the waiters did not even told them to move, while they were eating there. Terrible that this happens and terrible way to handle it.

I like that they serve beers that aren’t their own and they put a lot of effort into rotating their taps. Unfortunately the service was inattentive and the food was mediocre.

Hard no
I’ve been here several times and every time I come the menu is different. And not in a good way
I had horrible burger bowls so thank god those are gone
There used to be an extensive selection but now it’s limited to burgers and pizza, and even those aren’t very good and WAY overpriced!
It has a great selection of beer, but I’ll go somewhere else where I know I can get a good beer AND food.

I was there as a part of huge party table on the day of the Canada vs Mexico FIFA WCQ match. My friends and I got a table and got our beers. So far so good. Then later on, I ordered a custom burger. The menu clearly says that you can have up to 4 types of toppings on your burger. So I clearly put in spinach, kale, tomato and roasted garlic with dijon and chicken. On the side, there was honey chipotle yams. Here is what I got if everyone saw my photo of the burger with yams
Chicken — Somewhat Tender
Whole Wheat Bun. Correct
Dijon Mustard. Correct
Spinach: Not There
Kale: Not There
Tomato: Present
Roasted Garlic: Present
It could be either 2 things.
One, they ran out of spinach and kale so they decide to not put it on my burger which was really disappointing. I did want to have some green in my burger, but it ended up being… well… not so healthy at all. I mean, things would change if all the items were present, but in this case… 2 of those items were not present.
Two. The chefs were so busy that they forgot to put those 2 things in the burger. It was happy hour, so I will not criticize them hard, but still. The paper clearly had those 2 super greens there.
Would I come back? Maybe… if they have all the food there present for my burger… Otherwises… not so much.

Third time here the other night. The first 2 visits were beer related specific invite events, but this time came for a friend’s birthday. Despite being a busy Saturday with 2 games on, our party of 6 was seated right away! I swear the menu used to be more extensive with stuff like BBQ entrees etc, but we only saw appies, burgers and pizza. I meant to ask if it was a perm change. Oddly the daily specials aren’t available any other days (like fried chicken and the sausage plate. So unless it’s on special that day, no luck)
Service was over all good except for they were out of at least 5 diff beers… so more often than not we had to have a second or third choice! Most of us had burgers and the «build your own» burger was a HUGE success. Personally I did the Hipster Veggie burger and with the goat cheese and crunchy onions, this was an amazingly tasty burger! The pizzas were also popular and a big! I was surprised — toppings to the edge! Also kudos as someone in our party was in a wheelchair and was accessible (the older buildings in the area and gastown) can sometimes be lacking in this.
Overall was a good time and of course, I’ll be back to have more beers! I appreciate the fact they have so many other BC beers on tap alongside the ones they brew. Fantastic showcase for BC beers for those who may not know what we have to offer, tourists or just ppl like me who love craft beer!

Stumbled upon this place when we were in search of a variety of local brews within walking distance of our hotel. This DID NOT disappoint! Fantastic selection and variety. Great wait staff and will to let you try and describe all the samples! Definitely worth a drop by if you enjoy a good selection of craft beers!

Raw bacon on their burger. Never in my life had to spit out a bite of food into a napkin (got worried about the whole raw pork thing). Friend’s fries were cold end bits and so we walked out. Will never return. Disgusting experience. And the first time I was there months earlier it was very mediocre, can’t believe it’s even worse now.

I went in for dinner with Michael L., our significant others and a couple of friends on a quiet Thursday evening, in the last few days of 2015. Immediately, we were greeted with a warm ambiance, smiling wait staff and a relaxed atmosphere.
I enjoy craft beer as much as the next Vancouverite, and the chance to spend an evening enjoying locally brewed delights very much appealed to me. Moreover, the fact that it was a restaurant featuring Central City’s best, had me excited, as I enjoy IPAs and Red Racer IPAs very well.
To echo what others have said about Central City Brewers, the service is poor and not up to the standard set by other local establishments. I think that we’ve come to enjoy a higher standard in Vancouver, and now almost expect it.
While the wait staff is pleasant, the lack of attention and timing was a bit underwhelming.
The food is OK, I’d rate is as average pub-​fare. The true stars are the beers, and the selection is impressive. I also liked that their flights could be built up using any of the beers on the menu, which is a nice feature.
I strongly believe that the beer selection is enough to call patrons back and to make regulars, however, the overall experience is diminished by slow and somewhat inattentive service, that being said, I would definitely give them a second chance, especially for happy hour and $ 5 pints.

I enjoy craft beers and love that Vancouver (and the Lower Mainland) have embraced the craft breweries. I had tried several of the Central City beers previously and when I heard about their new venture in Vancouver, I book marked it. I stopped by last night with a group of 7 which included a fellow Unilocaler.
The room has a nice ambience and is great for large groups with their long tables. The beer (and beverage) selection is quite large with approx 13 Central City beers on tap and another 20 or so from other craft breweries also on tap. They also have a full service bar with plenty of cocktails and wine options. Unfortunately this was best part of the experience.
The service was poor and not up to par. Our wait staff were pleasant but not attentive and they had great difficulty in figuring out who ordered what… very poorly coordinated. We had to waive them down to order drinks, to order food and then to get the bill… it took 15 minutes for one person in our party to get their bill after requesting it.
The food was nothing worth returning for. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger and it was ok. It came with a slide of yams which were served luke warm covered in a smokey tomato based sauce… no one at our table enjoyed them. Probably healthier than yam fries but they had no flavour other than the sauce. The menu was also not up to date as there were daily food specials on the menu that the staff advised were no longer available due to a menu change. The comments from our group was that the portion sizes were a little on the small side especially the chicken burger.
I came for the beers and the company of friends, so neither of those disappointed. I can not recommend this place until they figure out how to improve the food and the service.

After having read a review about this place on the Georgia Straight, I was excited to try this place out after a friend had picked it for her husband’s birthday.
We were seated on a long table in the middle of the bar, giving us a good view of the bar and the whole place. The décor incorporated a lot of whole wood and swirling chairs gave it a bit of character. However the lack of seats for our group even though we had made a reservation was off-​putting. Also the stairs leading downstairs to the washrooms are not level so we witnessed a couple of people almost falling down the set of stairs as they are a hazard.
Service was another pain point during my recent visit. The server would come around quite spastically and didn’t even ask if we wanted to order more food. We all had to wait a good 40 – 45 minutes before our food arrived.
I ordered an oatmeal stout which had good body and taste but my burger failed to impress. I had read about their costume burger so ordered an all BC beef patty which was a bit smelly, hinting that the meat was not too fresh. As for the sauces, they were all mediocre and lacked any «wow» factor. Also the accompanying fries were quite greasy so not an item I would order again :(

This has become quite the beer hub in this neighbourhood. I’m always thrilled to visit a pub with taps to spare. This one boasts a double-​sided, legal paper-​sized beer menu.
So. Many. Taps!
I’m glad they’ve introduced a place like this around this neck of the woods for the avid beer drinkers who gets bored of the same ol’ taps quickly — me. I have my favourites, but it’s always nice to discover something new. Currently, I’m a fan of their seasonal Pumpkineater. It does not taste like pumpkin at all, instead it has another interesting flavour that can only be described as ‘delicious’. Not sure how long this one will stay on tap.
Interesting note about their beer portions: they do not serve pints. The options are 10oz or 16oz. The prices for 10oz ranges from $ 4 – 5 and the 16oz is usually a buck, or so, more than the 10oz.
The food I’ve had here include: spring rolls, beef brisket plate and sausage rolls. All pretty good! You can definitely grab a bite with your beer.
The décor is mainly wood, with dark walls and dim lights. Ample amount of TVs placed around the room so I can choose whether or not I want to be close to one. Lots of social tables for large groups. Final note: I would not bring my kids in here.
They’ve added some nightly entertainment. I was here on a Thursday night and they had a live DJ spinning light, house music.

Luke was an amazing server. He really was fun and friendly and really made my first experience in the place a memorable one.
Being from the states we’ve got a lot of burger spots but places takes the patty! I love the do it yourself burger because if you mess it, it’s basically your fault. If you ever make a bad combo or things taste bad, well then it’s your fault.
I had an amazing burger combination with the garlic Parmesan sauce and Brie as my cheese choice. Sprouts really add a great taste to the burger as well. Also, let it be known that my first taste of Canadian Poutine was from here and I’m in love! Our Poutine in the states is very salty so it isn’t enjoyable but yeah I’m in love.

Came here with my wife and kid last weekend. Place seemed pretty empty for a Sunday afternoon, but then again, I just moved here from SF, where you have to wait in lines to get in anywhere half decent. We were seated quickly, given a high chair for my son, and his stroller was safely stored by the hostess.
To start off, Central City beer is the only BC beer I ever had back home in SF. They sell the Red Racer Imperial IPA at Whole Foods (in the Bay Area), and I enjoyed it from time to time, putting it on par with many of my favorite local double IPAs. So far, being in Vancouver for almost a month now, it is still the best IPA that I’ve had. It was nice to get it fresh here.
I also got a flight of some of their other house brews — the raspberry wheat, the imperial pumpkin IPA, Patrick O’Pumpkin, blackberry porter, and the Belgian style wheat. Most above average to me. The beer list is 2 pages, with many other local Canadian craft brews. I will go back here just for this alone.
The food was good. At least what we got. My wife’s fried chicken burger was Southern style, almost like Chick-fil-A’s signature sandwich, but heartier. I got the lamburger with lamb bacon. So good. So greasy. But it woke me up with heartburn later that night. Not their fault, just a personal problem. But it was good.
Service was great, from the hostess to the server and food runners. Even my son liked how the staff interacted with him. Was not expecting great service at a brewpub, especially with a kid.
So far, the best beer within walking distance from our condo. Will definitely be back soon and often.

I was hoping that things had improved since their grand opening when we visited last night. Unfortunately they have not. This restaurants is the most poorly run and disorganized establishment downtown Vancouver. Each time we ordered a beer the waitress would leave only to come back to the table 10 minutes later to tell us they were «out of that one». This happened four times! It took almost 40 minutes to get a beer. At a Brew House! The men’s room was out of paper and the toilet landless was broken. So they placed the toilet tank lid on the floor so customers could reach in and pull the flapper to manually flush the toilet.
I give this place six months operating like this and someone new will be in that space.

I saw this reviewed on the front page of Unilocal on July 28^th and decided to book mark this for future reference. I was aware going in of the sub par reviews, however, since they seem to be on the two extremes I wanted to make my own observations.
I feel as though I have been here before. Maybe it was under another name 7 years ago? The place looked familiar.
It was a brewery but it was also a full scale eatery with an extensive menu.
Of course I had tea with great quality tea leaves.
If burgers are you thing they do have a gluten free bun option.
I had a small bowl of chilli and a chefs salad with tea.
Both were filling and fresh. Our waiter was awesome and friendly. very sociable. He was good with checking in on us more than once.
Meals came out in a timely manner.

Not sure where the bad service came from… went on a Wednesday night, just after happy hour and service was impeccable.
Get the smoked chicken wings. That’s all.
But if you must know, we also had the:
Beef short ribs $ 28 (day special)
Beef tartare
Elvis burger
Beef dip
All were pretty good except for the short ribs. Good flavour however it was overcooked and tough. My crock pot can do a better job. Tsk Tsk.
Wings. Cover your table with it.
That’s all.
Wings.

Calling all craft beer nerds! No Stellas, Sleemans or Coronas here!
Great food and atmosphere, awesome drink menu (craft beers, wine. etc) and comfortable seats. TV screens are here but clearly not sports bar-​like in the sense that sports aren’t exactly the stars here… it’s beer and food! The screens show a live update of the beers they have on tap and how much is left, as well as live tweets and Untappd check-​ins (who doesn’t like their profile photo displayed for all to see?)
Burger parties are juicy and not oily. Yes, sides are extra, but the burgers itself is quite filling on its own. Also tried the smoked wings ($ 13 for a serving of 5 whole wings, sorta caused me question it), they are delicious, real smoked (none of that fake liquid smoke stuff) but given the price tag on them… I’d say it would be a treat to justify ordering them.
All in all, I don’t have anything bad to say about this place — food did take a bit of time to arrive, but once it does, you’ll forget the wait.
They have these things called «burger bowls» on the menu — I’m eyeing those for my next order here.
As one who’s travelled to almost all the local craft beer breweries in and around Vancouver, I was very impressed of the beers they have on tap. It’s like being in Willy Wonka’s factory, but for beer: Brassneck, Storm Brewing, Parallel 49, Powell Street, Yellow Dog… just to name a few.
Anyway, definitely a place to check out at least once in your time here in town!

Great atmosphere, excellent beer selection and solid food amounted to a very positive first experience at Central City Brewers.
We were greeted and seated quickly and our server was friendly and knowledgeable. Food came out a little slow and we probably could have used a couple more «check-​ins» from the staff as both of our beers reached completely empty at one point (a cardinal sin at a brewery) but the food was worth the wait. Wings were smoky and delicious with a unique, tangy hot sauce. My friend had the crispy crunch chicken burger as it came highly recommended and he was pretty pumped about it. I had the pulled pork BBQ plate and while the beans and the slaw were just good, the pork and the cornbread were fantastic!
Beer is quite reasonably priced. They have about 40 taps to choose from… mostly local, but certainly featuring a lot more than just Red Racer. A flight costs $ 7 and you get to choose any 4 beers available. Most 10oz beers are between $ 4 and $ 4.50 and then a 16oz beer is $ 6.50 and up.
They are still working out some kinks of their early days but I am pretty excited to have this new option in my neighbourhood and I will be back!

Opened last Friday. Great selection of beer with something like over 30 beers on tap. I thought it would be only Central City brews, but it’s got a fairly well curated list of craft beers, including a few from the US.
Food is hit or miss. It claims to be focused on bbq. The brisket I had was great. The beans and cole slaw were delicious as well. Sadly, the corn bread muffin was dry, dense and cold. Almost hit a home run with the dish. Portions seemed a bit on the small side but it’s Yaletown.
Service is ok. Still a few teething issues, but they’re trying. Hopefully, it will get better over time. The space is enormous with lots of long tables for big groups.

(2.5÷5) First day of their grand opening, and this place is packed! Maybe it’s the reputation of Red Racer precedes them, or some people are nostalgic of the formerly Dix that is no more. The atmosphere is dim, a bit of country mixed with a bit of swanky whiskey club. A very energetic vibe here, accompanied by a good selection on beer on tap, and some decent (and pricey) food.
Let’s first talk about the beer. We only had one variety during the evening, and it was Red Racer Imperial IPA. It has a higher alcohol content (9%), but very well priced at $ 6/​pint, which according to my husband, best drunk per dollar! Not being a beer person myself, I did enjoy the beer quite a bit. It had an immediate hoppy punch, which dissipates quickly. But I loved the smokey flavor of the beer! It’s not a murky smokiness, but a very fragrant musky smell (no, not like perfume musky). I think this will be my favorite here.
My husband got a BBQ beef brisket platter. Interesting thing about BBQ at this place: they only have beef brisket and pull pork platter on their daily menu. Additional BBQ items are available on different days of the week. The beef brisket wasn’t bad, but it was a bit on the dry side. Flavor wise, it can definitely use some marinade and smokey flavor. The winner of the dish was actually the corn bread, which had a jalapeño cream cheese center. Oh boy does this thing have a kick! But it’s incredibly delicious.
I got a burger called the Elvis. It’s got peanut butter, beer jam, and pork rinds in it! It just sounded too crazy to pass up! I was shocked when I got it: the thing was stacked sky high! I also didn’t get the memo that it was double patty. If you eat the burger as is, it’s kinda flavorless, because the beef patty, which was on the dry side, overpowers the rest of the burger. What I would recommend is to either order it with a single patty, or take out one of the patties when eating. This is when the peanut butter sauce shines. It was creamy, savory, sweet, a bit sour, and crunchy (from the fries and pork rind) at the same time. Not one of the best burgers I’ve had, but definitely one of the most unique ones I’ve had.
Where central city really drops the ball is when it comes to billing. Both my husband’s and mine order were charged more than what’s printed on the menu. Their side menu at the bottom were also very difficult to read, and we had some confusion about billing of our side items.
Another interesting thing is they kept the big old DIX sign, and used it as their center piece in the chef’s table room. But will this take our hearts and be a regular spot for us? Completion in the area is fierce, so while IMHO central city is off to a rocky start, it needs to pick up its game to make itself a locals’ fave!
PS: it seems all the menu leaflets in the menu binders were hole punched a bit off, which makes turning pages a bit of chore. If you are OCD about these kinda thing, it might just put you off on the entire experience!